A review on gel polymer electrolytes for electrochemical energy storage: materials, design, and applications

Yadav N., Kumar N., Singh M. K., Alvur E., Cüce E.

The International Journal of Materials and Engineering Technology, cilt.9, sa.1, ss.14-46, 2026 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are moving from being simple liquid-electrolyte immobilisation media to becoming chemically programmable interfacial and structural components in electrochemical energy-storage devices. Their significance arises from a rare combination of properties: liquid-like ion transport, improved leakage resistance, adaptable mechanical form, and the ability to regulate electrode/electrolyte contact. This review critically reassesses GPEs across lithium, sodium- and zinc-based batteries, as well as supercapacitors and flexible energy-storage systems, with emphasis on the links between material chemistry, device requirements, and practical deployment. The discussion covers major polymer hosts, including fluoropolymers, polyethers, nitrile- and acrylate-based matrices, polyurethane systems, and hydrophilic PVA/PAM/PAA networks, together with solvent/plasticiser selection, salt chemistry, nanofiller integration, crosslinked architectures, and bio-derived or environmentally oriented gel designs. A central conclusion of the review is that GPE performance cannot be judged solely by ionic conductivity. For lithium systems, interphase control, high-voltage tolerance, and dendrite suppression are decisive. For sodium systems, electrolyte design must address Na-specific solvation and sluggish interfacial kinetics. For aqueous zinc systems, water activity, corrosion, hydrogen evolution, and Zn deposition uniformity dominate the design space. For supercapacitors and wearable devices, mechanical compliance, voltage-window stability, and durability under deformation become equally important. By combining chemistry-level analysis with application-specific benchmarking and a forward-looking research roadmap, this review identifies GPEs as among the most realistic near- to mid-term electrolyte platforms for safer, more flexible, and more sustainable electrochemical energy storage. The field’s next advance will depend less on isolated conductivity records and more on integrated electrolyte designs that are stable, manufacturable, recyclable, and validated under realistic full-cell operating conditions.